Weber Q1400 Electric Grill

For grilling at home, a large gas or charcoal grill is not always the best option. If you live in a small home without a lot of outdoor space, or even if you’re living in an apartment or condo, it makes more sense to go for a relatively compact grill that is easier to use and maintain. The Weber Q1400 Electric Grill is a great option for anyone that wants an authentic grilling experience without any of the fuss of a large standalone grill. It’s electric powered so it’s suitable for every home, and it’s so easy to use and clean that it could be used for daily meals.

Let’s take a closer look at the Weber Q1400 and see if it’s the right grill for you.

Product Features of the Weber 52020001 Q1400 Electric Grill

Small footprint design suitable for indoor or outdoor cooking.

189 square inch cooking surface.

High power 1560 watt for searing temperatures.

Minor assembly required.

Adjustable temperature.

High quality construction materials.

Unboxing and First Impressions of the Weber Q1400

If you’ve seen the old weber Q140 model then you will see some similarities with the Weber Q1400, it uses the same high quality electronic heating system, but it has been given an all new design that makes it more appealing, especially with its all black finish.

Weber markets this grill as being fully assembled, but when you unbox it, you’ll find that there are some minor steps that you’ll need to perform before it’s ready for use. These steps are relatively easy, and you’ll be ready to go in a matter of minutes. The instruction manual includes all assembly steps, which include attaching the grill lid and the handle. Besides giving the cooking surface a quick wash in soapy water, you’ll be ready to start using your new grill.

When taken out of the box and fully assembled, the Weber Q1400 definitely looks good. It takes some design ideas from the classic Weber kettle grill, and puts it all into a smaller package that is suitable for counter top and outdoor cooking. You’ll notice that the grill has a good weight to it, and all of the parts feel like they’re of high quality. The materials used are definitely above the average for a grill this size, and we’ll cover those closely as we make our way through the review.

A single temperature control probe plugs into the side of the grill

One thing that will be immediately noticeable is just how simple this grill is. Once it’s assembled you’ll see that there’s just a single temperature control probe, which plugs into the side of the grill. It feels easy to adjust and also feels to be solid and of high quality when plugged in. One downside is that the power cord is just six feet in length. While this will be find for cooking on a heat resistant kitchen counter top, you’ll need to use a quality outdoor extension cord if you want to use this grill safely on an outdoor deck or patio.

Overall, the initial unboxing leaves a good impression in regards to aesthetics and the feel of overall quality.

Advantages to an Electric Grill

If you’re wondering whether an electric grill like the Weber Q1400 is right for you, then you only need to ask yourself some simple questions.

Do you have limited space where a gas or charcoal grill wouldn’t be ideal?

Do you want the flexibility to cook both indoors and outdoors with the same grill?

If you can answer yes to these questions, then the Q1400 is definitely right for you. It overcomes any scenario where gas or charcoal grilling is not appropriate, and it does so in a way that is more convenient. You won’t need to worry about keeping charcoal or propane, and there’s zero chance of running out of fuel when you use this Weber electric grill. It is as suitable indoors on a counter top as it is outside, yet it will still work fine outdoors on a stand or on any sturdy surface, such as a wooden table or outdoor counter.

Having the freedom to grill inside during the winter is one of the great advantages of the Weber Q1400, and it’s something that any owner will be able to easily appreciate. This would also be a great grill if you have children who are learning to cook. It’s safer than a gas grill or charcoal grill, and there is less chance for flare ups when cooking with the Weber.

If you’ve been wanting a grill but figured that the traditional options just wouldn’t be suitable for your home, then this model will be the obvious choice for your needs.

Does it Cook as Well as it Looks?

No matter how good a grill looks or feels, it needs to be able to cook well. With the Weber Q1400, the cooking ability is going to ultimately determine whether this grill is worth buying or not.

Cooking surface of 189 sq inches

The first thing to note is the size of the cooking surface. 189 square inch is a respectable size, but it’s not going to be able to compete with something like a three burner grill. If you’re cooking for a family or if you will be having a moderate sized gathering at your home, then you will have enough space to work with. In some cases, you will need to cook in batches, which can increase your overall cooking time, but this is something that is common to all compact grills, and not just the Weber.

Another thing to consider about the size is that this is not the type of grill that you’re going to be able to use to cook a full sized chicken or turkey. A smaller whole chicken will fit inside the grill, but you will get better results by cooking individual bone-in pieces like legs and thighs. Full size racks and roast cuts of meat will also not be suitable for this grill. This is another compromise that needs to be made with a smaller grill. As long as you are working with smaller cuts you won’t have difficulties, and for the average family this will not be a problem.

With the limitations out of the way, it’s time to talk about everything that this grill will be able to do. The cooking surface is a grill rack design, so there’s no flat grill plate. You will be able to use your own tray inside this grill as long as it fits, so you could think of cooking small flatbread recipes, grilled pizza, or anything else that wouldn’t work well on an open grill rack. On the standard cooking surface, all of your favorites like vegetables, steak, sausages and hot dogs, burgers, skewered meats, and chicken pieces, will all cook perfectly. You have a good amount of control over the cooking temperature so you will be able to get the right environment for whatever it is that you’re cooking. Keep in mind that this grill doesn’t have any individual temperature zones, so you’ll either need to cook different food separately, or constantly check to make sure that certain food isn’t burning while another is still cooking. You can choose to cook with the hood down or up, but you’ll get much better internal temperatures with the hood down.

Unfortunately, there is no integrated thermometer on this model, which is slightly disappointing when you consider the price. A number of competing grills do come with thermometers, even at lower price points. This is not a deal breaker but it does seem like something that could have easily been included in a premium electric grill. We hope that Weber addresses this with any future model revisions to the Q1400 electric grill.

With the adjustable heat you can go from a low grill setting right up to a high sear, but you may need to adjust your cooking times if you’re used to cooking on a gas or charcoal grill. It can take some trial and error to get used to the Weber Q1400, and the heat that it can produce may surprise you.

Overall, this is an excellent grill that will easily outperform most of the other electric grills on the market. However, it is a pricey grill, so you will need to pay for this level of quality. If you want to move from gas or charcoal but you don’t want to make compromises in terms of heat or quality of cooking, then the Q1400 is a good option.

Materials and Construction Quality

The grill rack has been made from quality cast iron that is treated with a porcelain enamel finish. The material allows for great heat transference, while reducing chances of food sticking to the rack. The unit itself uses a combination of quality plastics and cast aluminum. The grill top and bottom is all cast, which is a definite improvement over standard sheet aluminum that is used on some other models. It makes the whole grill feel solid and gives it a quality feel where you are confident that it will last for many years.

Overall construction is of high quality and there are few moving parts, so there isn’t a lot to go wrong on this grill.

Fast heat up time and good heat levels to sear food like you would with a gas or charcoal grill. The closed lid allows a good convection of heat for faster and thorough cooking.

Compact size is perfect for countertops, apartments, and condos.

No mess with an integrated drip tray, no need for fuel to grill at any time.

Cons

Relatively expensive compared to a larger gas grill.

No thermometer.

Small size not suitable for everyone.

Customer Feedback for the Weber Q1400 Grill

Any time that you want to learn more about a particular grill, or any product, it’s important that you look at the existing customer feedback. This will tell you how people experience the product in the real world, and the information you get from reviews and testimonials will help you to come to the right decision.

In the case of the Weber Q1400, it has been warmly received by consumers with an average of 4.5 / 5 Stars when it comes to online reviews at the leading retailer. Customers have given praise to the quality of the cooking surface, the ability for the grill to quickly heat up and retain heat, and they have also liked the overall high quality of the grill and the parts.

Low points in reviews have been relatively minor, and include the short cord, the lack of any thermometer, and the fact that it’s possible to run out of space if you are cooking for a large gathering. Overall, the feedback shows confidence in the product, and reinforces the fact that this is a quality product with the only real drawbacks being inherent to any small electric grill.

The Weber Q1400 is not a budget grill, and costs around the same as some entry to mid-range level gas and charcoal grills. It provides the advantage of convenience in terms of it being electrically powered and relatively compact, and it doesn’t make major compromises when it comes to cooking ability or heat.

It won’t replace a large grill, because it is limited in terms of the size of what you can put inside it, however, it can take care of family grilling and grilling for friends for a sports night or a holiday gathering. If you need to go electric but you aren’t happy with the quality of most electric grills, then the Weber offers a step up in both performance and materials that will make it a worthy investment.

Although it’s not cheap, it is worth the money, and if you want quality and a high heat electric grilling surface then it’s hard not to recommend the Weber Q1400 Electric Grill.